Sources Say: County officials get the message about who pays for the beach

For your reading pleasure, here is The Capital's annual roundup of how much our trusty politicians spent attending a beach-side conference on government in Ocean City last week.

After coming under fire repeatedly for spending taxpayer dollars at the conference, lawmakers and their aides have dramatically scaled back their attendance.

Out of the seven sitting County Council members, their seven respective aides, the county executive's entire staff, and a dozen or so support staff workers, only seven people attended the conference, and taxpayers paid for just one hotel room.

According to County Council Administrator Judy Holmes, here is the who attended and how much the county paid:

Councilwoman Cathy Vitale, R-Severna Park: $285 registration fee.

Council Chairman Ed Middlebrooks: $285 registration fee.

Legislative Assistant Rose Brooks: no taxpayer expense.

Legislative Assistant Linda Harris: $155 registration fee.

Legislative Assistant Diane Jennings: $145 registration fee.

Assistant Administrative Officer JoAnne Gray: $145 registration fee, $150 for a hotel room shared with Holmes.

Holmes: $145 registration fee, $150 for a hotel room shared with Gray.

Bill stalks Moyer

When former Annapolis mayor Ellen O. Moyer rode off into the sunset at the end of her two terms she unknowingly left behind an unpaid veterinary bill.

According to a lawsuit filed in July in county District Court by Yergey, Stewart, Vallance and Associates, a veterinary practice that specializes in thoroughbred racehorses, Moyer's horse Marjie's Star received $5,488 in veterinary care.

However, Moyer - who has a bottomless heart for furry creatures and a particular passion for horses - still owes $3,334 for services and late fees, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit shows an invoice for a variety of procedures, including six $20 treatments with laxis, a medicine that prevents hemorrhaging in the lungs, steroids for the horse's knees and one $25 rectal exam.

Moyer, who no longer owns Marjie's Star, said her payment plan with her vet was in arrears when she left the city in December. Usually, she uses a payment system where her bank account is automatically charged when a vet bill is due, she said.

However, when she left for her post-term vacation, the usual billing plan wasn't set up. As such, when the check came due, the vet wasn't paid as usual.

Moyer's lawyer, former city attorney Steve Kling, said in court documents that no proper complaint has been filed, and he asked the court to dismiss it.

Moyer said her lawyer is negotiating the bill with the vet, and she expects the matter to be settled out of court.

Chinese may back Vitale

If you happened to be taking a swim in the Yellow Sea lately, you may have noticed Cathy Vitale is running for delegate.

Even though her campaign signs have made it to Chinese beaches and meadows, never fear. Vitale has no plans to infiltrate the Chinese government.

A journalist friend of hers picked up a few campaign signs and deposited them across the Chinese landscape, Vitale said in an e-mail. Photos of the far-flung campaign in action can be seen on her Facebook page, she said.

A sweet gig

Ask some recent Naval Academy superintendents and surely they'll tell you a tour in Annapolis is a tough job.

But Navy Secretary Ray Mabus is convinced that the new superintendent, Vice Adm. Michael H. Miller, has a pretty sweet gig.

Mabus, who visited Annapolis on Wednesday for a Chesapeake Bay cleanup meeting, said he always thought his job as secretary was the best in the Navy. But he thinks Miller - his former legislative aide - might be closing in.

"It's a hard job. He has to live here on the bay in Annapolis. He has to go to virtually every Navy football game ... and he gets paid to do all this," Mabus said.